three years and still trying!

[Jul 0]

I try to follow the "lap band rules", but there are times when I eat things like fast food, ice cream. More often than I should. Also things like white bread, Pasta, chips, pizza.

Well I guess it should come as no surprise to me that my progress has stopped! But I am trying to clean up my act and have those types of foods much less often. I can't say never, that would be unrealistic, but certainly it needs to be a lot less. Shame on me!!!

I plan on going back to my "successful" foods like baked chicken, baked fish, steamed veggies, fruit, hot Cereal etc.

Starting to exercise should really help. What type of exercise do you plan on doing?

[AlyssaH 0]

fast foods I have a problem with it won't go down. if i have a burger, it is w/out the roll. and i can't even think about fries. but by the time i eat the burger I'm full. bread of any kind NO WAY! but if i toast rye bread and make it hard i can get a few bits before it gets stuck. not worth it. once something gets stuck and the sliming starts i can't eat for 1 hr. Breakfast usually is crangrape juice w/benefiber in it and my 8 pills, then I'm full thats around 7:00 am. at 1:00 p.m. i may have tomatoe Soup or cottage cheese or yogurt. if I'm home for dinner it would be some kind of Protein ad some kind of canned veg. if I'm out i omit the veg. because i can't get it cooked soft enough to get it down. sometimes i will eat salad if it goes or i ask for cucumbers and vinegar. i think my biggest thing is that i don' exercise. but that is going to end soon.

[Jul 0]

That's terrible that things get stuck for you so often. How many adjustments have you had? Are you chewing to "apple sauce like" consistancy? I mean I'm glad to hear you don't eat all the junk I have, but I just wonder if you're not getting enough variety of food.

Well I'm working on changing my evil ways. So far today all I've had is some cereal, so I'm off to a good start. Exercise is going great.

Also keep in mind when you start exercising it is very possible to gain weight at first because your body is building muscle. Your body will use more Water to build this muscle there for your body will temporarily retain some water. And it is also possible for the scale to stand still up to three months. I'm not trying to be negative I'm just preparing you because I don't want you to give up and stop exercising if the results aren't very good at first. But if you stick with it it will be very well worth it. You will be healthier and lose inches. That is something else I do, I measure myself one a month to see what I'm losing in inches, and it is amazing sometimes. Sometimes the scale doesn't move much but I sure do lose inches and my clothes fit so much better. My main problem is my darn belly. But i'm sure my terrible diet played a big part in that. Yay! so you'll start exercising, I'll stop eating too many things I shouldn't and we'll be on our way!

[AlyssaH 0]

today my friend called me and we walked the middle school track it felt good, then we got breakfast. I had Decaf. hot tea and ice Water, 1 egg beaters and 1 piece of bacon. the tea i drank later, i got a togo cup with ice to make iced tea. dinner tonight will be grilled turkey meat no bun, grilled veggies like mushrooms, onions, zucchini, tomatoes, asparagus, eggplant. sounds like a lot but i have a few people to feed. trust me i'll probably get down some meat, and whatever veggie i can get soft enough, and then i'll be full. Thanks for talking to me it helps to talk to someone who is banded. my friends just don't understand. Keep up the good eating habits and maybe you and i will see a difference soon.

[Bmaz 0]

This thread is an interesting read- helped me! I did notice on your last post that you had breakfast with a solid (egg) and drank Decaf and hot Water. My nutritionalist says to avoid "wash out" by NOT drinking anything 10 min. before meals and 1 hour after. Keeps the food in there longer. The liquids will also take up space that is needed for food. I agree with the comment on getting enough calories that your body doesn't go into survival mode holding onto every molecule of fat and liquid you've got stored or have just eaten. If you can get at least 100 calories in, first thing in the morning, your metabolism will fire up and stop being so stubborn! At first this felt like "wasted eating" to me- I didn't want it, didn't enjoy it, didn't think I needed it. But changing this one thing caused 1) I was genuinely hungry for lunch (that felt good). 2) I started being hungry in the morning first thing (that was weird) and 3) I was way less likely to crave anything at night (That felt like a miracle!) Beth

[AlyssaH 0]

Hi beth, I'm sorry I didn't make myself clear . I ordered hot Decaf tea and made it while I was eating, then asked for a to go cup filled with ice and made my own iced tea to go and drink it later. Thats something I always do because no one has decaf iced tea. I do ask for Water because if I need a tiny sip, enough to keep my throat wet or sometimes food get stuck in my throat. I can feel the food in my pouch and it stays there for a while before it go through. I can feel it. Thanks for caring Alyssa

[marivan 0]

Hi Alyssa,

I was banded in Nov of 07 and I thought that I would be skinny by now. I'm finally more than half way, but it has been slow. I have just started losing again after a seven month plateau. So I know how frustrating it is.

First, I found this site called, Five Day Pouch Test, it is for bariatric patients who have had a bypass, but I have found that it helps me if I'm eating too much or have gotten stuck. It helps shrink that little pouch we have left. It also gets you to start eating more Protein,which is what we need. Take the benefibre for sure if you go on this five day diet. A lot of Protein will bind you. I always lose at least four or five pounds on this and it isn't hard.

Also, I've been told that although I may not be hungry, eat five small meals a day. One could be a few nuts and some fruit or a yogurt, it should always have some protein in it. This helps our metabolism not slow down as others have mentioned. I think sometimes we don't eat enough. And I stopped drinking Protein drinks. I was using them as a crutch and they aren't real food. I now have oatmeal with some nuts for protein in the morning, and I have no problem eating that.

And try to start doing some simple weight lifting. I started doing a program that took 20 minutes and didn't even make me sweaty, called Strong Women Stay Young. She's changed the program slightly, but I started doing the seven weight moves three times a week at a low weight and I'm up to ten pounds now (from 3) and I'm sure that it has helped me look thinner even when I wasn't losing, but it has given me the start of some great arms and shoulders. My stomach will be better when I can see more of what's under the flab! :scared2: I also started walking on the treadmill at a pace I could cope with and now I am started to run for 30 second intervals. It isn't much, but it is getting me to push myself out of my comfort zone even for a minute!

Keep up the work you are doing. I can't tell you how I felt when I stepped on the scale and saw the 20's! I actually looked and saw 229 and cursed, because I thought I was at 239, I've been in the 30's for so long. When I realised that I was below another milestone, I was doing a happy dance for sure!:tt1: My next goal is the teens.

We are all here trying to help each other.

Mary

[mrlddst 0]

I'm three years out too, where are all the other three year plus people? I definitely know where you are coming from. I wish I could offer you more but I'm sort of in the same boat.

[marivan 0]

You look like you are so close to your goal though!

M

[mrlddst 0]

You look like you are so close to your goal though!

M

Are you referring to me, Marivan or the OP? I'm have been teetering on on the same 10lbs for the last two years.

[marivan 0]

Hi lasonyadj,

I was referring to you. You are about half way, aren't you?

You know, I was just talking to someone about that magical number 200. I've heard more people get stuck there. And I'm sure it isn't a physical thing, but a mental one.

Do you weigh yourself often? I think that if you made a pledge to yourself that you would do your best to eat healthy and exercise (if you do already, then carry on) but not worry about the scale for a month, then you may find that some weight started to come off.

I know that it can ruin my eating well if I feel I've had a really good week, yet the scale shows a gain or no change at all. And that could be for so many reasons, like Water retention, my period coming up, more muscle. Nothing to do with what I ate. So I now weigh myself every couple of weeks and even if it doesn't show any change I don't worry about it.

I didn't lose any weight for over 7 months. I was so discouraged, but people who don't know I have the band or even that I am actively trying to lose weight were suddenly telling me how great I looked, even though I weighed no less than last time they saw me. But I think that my body did shift the weight around. I've now lost 10 further pounds, but can suddenly wear size 18 and shop in normal shops!

We don't all lose as fast for whatever reason, but if you feel you are doing what you should, then just keep it up and you will be rewarded eventually. If you aren't, then do all those things that everyone else mentioned. Record your food, try to exercise etc etc.

Good luck, you are doing great and you are pretty much half way there! That's a glass full!

Mary

[hersheymalone 0]

I was banded 10-17-08 and have lost 45-50 lbs since then. I have hit a plateau and haven't lost anything, actually bouncing back and forth with 5 lbs, in approximately 5-6 months. So freaking frustrating! I'm not a perfect eater, but don't eat crap all the time like I used to. I also run 2 miles a day, 5 days a week. My body is taking a completely different look. I have people tell me everyday that I look like I've lost weight, which I haven't, but think it's just toning up. It's just so frustrating to think I eat so much better and exercise a lot compared to my "old" lifestyle and the scales aren't moving....but I won't give up! I will continue the fight. I have approximately 50 more lbs to go and I want to win this battle and not let it get the best of me.

[marivan 0]

I know what you mean, I think there are a few of us that just can't understand why the weight doesn't come off with all the exercise and healthier eating we are doing.

I'm going to a doctor (not my lap band clinic) and he doesn't believe that I am not mindlessly eating, and therefore eating a lot more than I am aware of eating. I can't convince him otherwise. In fact, I've gotten to the point where I actually forget to eat and a lot of the time am completely not interested in eating.

I think it proves that we are all different and our bodies have their own ideas about the weight we should be. (But 225 is not where I want to be!)

I've tried drinking tons more Water, eating more Protein in the form of Beans etc at every meal. Adding Omega 3 fat to my daily menu. None of it has made any difference. My body will lose about a pound a month if I'm lucky. After seven months of a plateau, I finally took off 10 pounds over three months, but it has slowed right down again.

I'm concentrating on keeping up with my weight lifting, exercise and eating as healthy as I can one day at a time. I do believe that the weight will have to come off eventually!

At least I surely hope so.

I'm impressed with the running. I am starting to add running to my walking routine, but I can't run for more than a minute at a time.

Mary

[Bmaz 0]

Hi Maryann- I'm just curious... how old are you? How tall?

What occurs to me in reading your story is that you must feel so much healthier! I mean, weights, and walking, and focusing on what you need, doing the things that keep you fit. I'll bet you could name dozens and dozens of things, movements, etc. that you couldn't do 3 years ago. Keep up the good work! Beth

PS I once put on over 10# of muscle by swimming and working out- in under 2 weeks! The scale went up and the clothes size went down. Personally, I like to measure with other things besides the scales.

[mrlddst 0]

Hey Marivan,

Thanks for the encouragement. I have done it all....logged my food, stuck to the band rules, exercise. I know my two problem areas and recognizing when I'm full and exercising and I am working on both. Currently, I have no Fluid in my band. My doctor wants to take this one out due to slippage and replace it with an "more modern" band. I see this as my chance to get it right, most don't get that chance. I have been going to a psych to talk about my eating habits and some nutrition classes because my doc is being retrained himself or so the nurses told me. So now I wait for a new surgery date and continue to eat right and exercise.....Thanks again. Oh and about that scale, I don't weigh myself very often but I do have it out when I get the urge. I think I will hide it.